Gulfside Gamefish: Redfish, Trout, and Snapper Bite Strong on Florida's West Coast

Artificial Lure coming at you from Florida’s Gulf Coast with your fishing report for Wednesday, November 26th, 2025. We kicked off today with a sunrise right around 7:03 AM and sunset will fall at 5:33 PM—perfect daylight for getting after the bite. Weather’s sitting mild this morning with a light breeze off the water, and we’re expecting highs in the upper 70s with patchy sunshine. Water clarity is decent and there’s just enough chop to work those artificials and keep the bait honest. Talking tides, folks fishing spots like Florida Power and Egmont Key are seeing a LOW TIDE early—about 4:16 AM with a height of 3.6 ft—and then a midday turn around 12:11 PM to a higher water, dropping to 0.0 ft. By early evening, around 6:34 PM, expect another uptick with the water rising to 2.9 ft. Solunar activity is on the low side today, but don’t let that spook you; if you hit the changeover windows, you can stir up some action. Fish are on the move. Reports from local charters and public piers say **redfish** are mixed in with **speckled trout** on the grass flats, and early risers are snagging plenty of **flounder** around the passes. Offshore, the snapper bite is hanging strong—lane snapper and mangrove snapper in particular. Nearshore reefs this week have been giving up good numbers of Spanish mackerel and the surprise appearance of some late-season kingfish. Live shrimp is still your best bet for bait, especially for trout and redfish. If you’re throwing artificials, locals are loving paddle tail swimbaits in new penny and silver colors, along with gold spoons for that flash in the tannic water. Offshore, dead sardines and cigar minnows are drawing in snapper and grouper, but if you prefer artificials, white bucktail jigs tipped with squid strips are working wonders. Hot spots today: - **Egmont Key grass flats** for trout and flounder, especially in the first two hours after sunrise. - **John’s Pass near Madeira Beach**—the outgoing tide is moving bait in droves, drawing in reds and snook. - **Nearshore reefs off Clearwater** for mackerel and snapper, particularly at the start of the incoming tide. Red tide has been spotty, especially north of Sarasota, but most beaches and inlets from Clearwater to Fort Myers are reporting fishable water with little impact according to The Bradenton Times’ midweek update. Anglers are seeing mixed bags this week: one local reported four-slot redfish and half a dozen keepers on trout from an oyster bar north of Boca Ciega, while another offshore crew turned in ten mangrove snapper and a couple of legal grouper caught on cut bait at 45 feet. The numbers aren’t at their summer peak, but consistency is there if you pay attention to the tides. Remember, get your gear and bait together before heading out—shrimp runs are thinning at some shops due to early demand. Thanks for tuning in! Be sure to subscribe for tomorrow’s update and keep the lines tight. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.